A Melody That Brings Me to You
by blaerofvalenwood
Summary: AU. Nibutani, after unwillingly attending the concert of the famous pianist, Sanae Dekomori, finds that there is a deep connection between the both of them. But she isn't prepared for the effect that they will have on each other's lives. Dekomori/Nibutani.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Chuunibyou or the characters associated with it.

A/N: Decided to give an AU a try. This idea has been stuck in my head for ages, so it's about time that I started this. This in no way means that I am abandoning my other story. I just wanted to get this started.

Since this is a musician AU and involves a lot of music, I thought it would be appropriate to use actual pieces as reference. Whenever I write a music scene, I'll let you guys know what I was listening to when I wrote it. You don't have to, but listening to the song I am basing the scene on will give you the whole effect. If you do wanna listen, I suggest opening a tab before you read, so you can access it easily when the scene comes.

For this chapter, I was listening to The Water Train by Shaun Taylor McManus. You guys can look it up on Youtube since I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post direct links.

* * *

"Come on, Nibu! Just come to one concert with us! I promise you'll love it! This girl's a genius!"

Shinka Nibutani stood in the hallway of her school, chatting with her friends Becky and Fukachi. Recently, everyone had been gushing about some young pianist. Apparently, this girl had amazing talent for someone of her age. She'd been accompanying some of the largest and most well known orchestras in Japan. It's been said that her music could bring anyone to tears. Nibutani's friends had been trying to convince her to join them in seeing one of the many concerts that were held in the city.

"I don't know…" Nibutani replied. "That isn't really my kind of thing…" In truth, she found classical music to be incredibly boring. She grimaced at the thought of having to sit through an entire concert. They often ran long, and Nibutani was sure she would end up falling asleep in the middle of it. There was no point in her attending if that result was inevitable.

"You've refused to come every time we've asked!" Becky whined. "Aren't you at least a little bit curious?" Becky looked at Nibutani pleadingly. It didn't seem like they were going to let up until Nibutani agreed to come.

"No. Classical music is so boring. I have better things to do," Nibutani replied. She was known for her stubbornness so getting her to come along would be quite the feat. Nibutani decided a long time ago that she wouldn't fall prey to the hype surrounding this pianist. There was no way she was going.

Fukachi sighed, "You're being too stubborn again, Nibu. I didn't want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice." Fukachi pulled out a digital camera and turned it on. It showed a picture of a middle school Nibutani wearing a white veil and a strange golden hand accessory. She had her hands pressed together, and she seemed to be chanting something.

"I wonder how our class will react to this?" Fukachi grinned. Nibutani paled. In middle school, she had run around claiming she was a 1200 year old mage that could speak to spirits and fairies. Upon entering high school, Nibutani had done her best to hide away that old aspect of herself. It was too embarrassing to think about.

Nibutani lunged at Fukachi, attempting to steal the camera from her, but her friend was too fast. Fukachi put her hand against Nibutani's forehead and pushed, successfully keeping the brown haired girl at bay. Nibutani tried to remove Fukachi's hand from her forehead, but to no avail. Fukachi had successfully trapped her.

Nibutani pouted and crossed her arms. "Fine," she said, "I'll come, but only if you delete that picture." Nibutani felt rage rise. She hated losing.

Becky and Fukachi high fived each other. They looked ecstatic. Becky pulled a ticket from her pocket and handed it to Nibutani.

"The concert is tonight at eight," Becky said. "You're lucky. Tonight she'll be playing with a violin accompaniment. Her music sounds twice as beautiful with the addition of other instruments." Becky sighed in bliss. The young prodigy's music was known for its sad tones, and people often found her music to be moving.

Nibutani didn't feel very lucky. She had just gotten blackmailed into going to a piano concert. Nibutani groaned. There wasn't anything she could do about it now. She glanced down at the ticket Becky had handed to her. It read, "Sanae Dekomori: The Young Piano Prodigy. Playing at the Performing Arts Theatre!" It seemed strange that she was performing there. The Performing Arts Theatre was a small building, usually reserved for smaller orchestras and acting troupes. This girl was practically a celebrity, so Nibutani thought she would be playing at a grander location.

Nibutani realized that she would have to inform her parents of the event. They would undoubtedly be surprised when they found out that their daughter was attending a classical music concert. Nibutani wouldn't be surprised if they teased her about it. Her parents had gone to see one of the concerts, and afterward, they joined the seemingly endless amounts of people who couldn't shut up about her.

"We'll meet up at the concert hall in town!" Becky shouted, drawing Nibutani's attention back to the two other girls. Nibutani nodded. Feeling satisfied, Becky and Fukachi said their goodbyes and walked off. Class was over, so there was no reason to stick around. Nibutani decided to head for home.

Nibutani trudged home, her feet dragging. She felt grumpy. Being forced into doing something she didn't want to do was awful, and Nibutani wished she had the courage to turn the other cheek when it came to Fukachi's blackmail. If she didn't care so much about how others saw her, it wouldn't have mattered if Fukachi had shown that picture to the class. Nibutani inwardly cursed herself.

Couldn't they have at least invited her to a rock concert? That would be infinitely more entertaining. Nibutani sighed. This piano thing was what was popular right now. The semester was nearly over, so summer would begin soon which meant that it was likely that more concerts would become available. Nibutani wouldn't be surprised if she was dragged to even more of these things during break, when people had more free time on their hands. She felt her mood deteriorate.

When she arrived home, she marched straight up to her room, her mood too sour to want to speak to anyone. Unfortunately, her parents must have noticed this, as Nibutani heard a knock on her door shortly after entering. Nibutani opened the door, and her mother walked in, looking concerned.

"Is everything alright? You seem upset," Her mother said. Nibutani groaned and fell face first onto her bed. Nibutani's mother walked over and sat next to her.

Nibutani pulled the ticket from her pocket and showed it to her mother. "My stupid friends are making me go to this tonight. I hate classical music. Tonight is going to be terrible." Nibutani buried her face in her pillow. She heard her mother laugh.

"Oh my, I thought something bad had happened." The older woman laughed. "I think you're overreacting, dear. Going to a piano concert is not a big deal." She patted Nibutani's back.

Nibutani sat up and said, "It is a big deal! I might die of boredom!"

Her mother laughed again, "Your friends have been begging you to join them for months now. Just humor them this one time. Plus, you've never been to one before, so you can't possibly know if you like them or not. I certainly had fun when I went with your father."

Nibutani pouted. Her mother had a point. Going for just one night probably wouldn't kill her, and it would help satiate what little curiosity she felt regarding the young pianist. Also, if she complied with her friend's requests, they might stop bothering her about it. This could be the first and last classical concert she would have to sit through.

"You're right. I'll be fine." Nibutani agreed. She felt happier knowing that this would probably be a one time experience.

"Good! Don't forget to eat something before you leave! These concerts tend to run on the long side." Her mother said. She got up and left the room.

Nibutani moved over to her desk. She might was well try to get some homework done before she had to leave. If the concert really did run long, it would be too late to do it when she got home. She'd already be wasting precious hours during the performance, so she had to make do with what little time she had now. Nibutani gathered her thoughts and hunkered down, prepared to get her work done.

* * *

Nibutani stood in line outside of the Performing Arts Theatre in the middle of town. Many people had shown up to the concert, and the line extended around the block. They were all waiting for the doors to finally open. They had about five minutes of waiting time left before they would finally be allowed in.

"I think this concert is going to blow you away, Nibu," Becky grinned. Fukachi and Becky were the epitome of excitement. Nibutani couldn't figure out why. Those two had been to numerous concerts performed by this particular girl. One would think they would have gotten bored with them by now. These concerts can't possibly be _that_ good.

"I wouldn't hold your breath…" Nibutani mumbled. She purposefully kept her voice down so the other two wouldn't hear her. There was no point in starting an argument. She was already stuck here, so it would be a waste of energy.

"Oh man, I'm so pumped!" Fukachi shook excitedly. "Tonight is going to be awesome!" She grinned at Nibutani, who shrugged in response.

"Come on, Nibu, loosen up a little. Try and have some fun." Becky shoved Nibutani's shoulder lightly. The brown haired girl smiled. They were right. Being negative wouldn't make her feel any better. Nibutani thought it would be best to just try and enjoy the night out with her friends.

Suddenly, the line started moving. It looked like the doors had finally opened. The three girls slowly made their way to the entrance. Upon entering the hall, they glanced around. It was as small as Nibutani thought it would be. Huge concert halls usually had at least three different levels. This one, however, only had the orchestra level and the balcony. There was a small stage in the front. A magnificent grand piano sat in the middle of it. Nibutani noticed that there were a few chairs toward the back of the stage, each one had an individual music stand. She assumed that this was were the accompanying violin players would be sitting.

Overall, the concert hall seemed incredibly underwhelming. It spoke contrarily to the praise she had heard about the young prodigy. This place seemed unfitting to house a musician of her status. Maybe she just wasn't as big as everyone said she was. Nibutani would have to wait and see for herself.

Nibutani had to give her friends credit. They had managed to get some of the best seats in the house. Their tickets placed them right in the front row, so they had a clear view of the stage. Nibutani bet they would even be able to see the sheet music from their position. The chairs were very comfortable as well. They would make for a good napping spot if the concert bored her to sleep.

Fukachi checked her phone. "The concert should start soon. It should only be about ten more minutes."

Nibutani felt strangely jittery. She had to admit, now that she was actually in the concert hall, she was starting to feel the buzz of excitement from everyone around her. Nibutani couldn't help but feel at least a little bit curious about who this amazing pianist was. She was apparently a year younger than she was. If that was correct, it truly was impressive that she made it this far.

"Hey, do you two know anything about this pianist's background?" Nibutani asked.

Becky answered, "All that's really known about her, apart from what she looks like, is that she comes from a really rich, prestigious family. Her father apparently owns a successful oil company, and that's where he got his riches. I'm not surprised that his daughter turned out to be famous as well." Nibutani nodded. That made sense. The children of famous people tended to have the spotlight shined on them eventually as well.

Suddenly, the lights in the hall dimmed. The loud chattering of the crowd became a low murmur that stopped completely when a man dressed in a black suit walked on stage.

He held a microphone to his mouth and said, "Good evening everyone. I'd like to welcome you to yet another wonderful concert here at the Performing Arts Theatre. We are pleased to have the amazing and talented Sanae Dekomori in our hall tonight." The crowd clapped vigorously. A few people made high pitched whistles. The man held his hand up, signalling for the audience to quiet down.

"Tonight we have a very special performance for you all. All of the songs listed in the program have been composed by the lovely Sanae. Please sit back and enjoy the concert." The man bowed and walked off the stage. The sound of the audience clapping filled the music hall. As soon as they stopped, the lights turned off completely, save for the ones that illuminated the stage.

A spotlight shone on the left side of the stage, and a tiny girl with long blonde hair walked into view. She wore an elegant black dress that brushed the ground. A diamond necklace hung from her neck. As she walked, her flowing hair swayed. She was beautiful. When the young girl reached the piano, she gazed at the audience, showing off her brilliant blue eyes, and bowed. Nibutani could feel her breathing hitch.

Four violinists, dressed in black suits, came out after her. They stood next to her, bowed, and then went and took their places at the back of the stage. The young pianist sat down and placed several pieces of sheet music on the piano. She shuffled them around until they were arranged in the right order. She looked at the four violinists and nodded. They took a deep breath in sync and began their piece.

The blonde girl moved her hands slowly and rhythmically across the keys, creating a small twinkle as she pressed down on them. The light, repetitive motions brought up a feeling of blissful innocence. The low hum of the violins complimented the calm sounds of the piano. They sang softly in the background, inspiring serenity in the members of the audience. Nibutani could feel herself being drawn into the world that the young girl was illustrating with her melody. She could imagine herself sailing across a vast ocean, desperately trying to see the world beyond what she was already familiar with. The horizon beckoned to her, teasing her with prospect of discovery.

The violins slowly increased their volume as the young girl's hands glided gracefully across the keys, picking up speed. The fluidity of the piece reminded Nibutani of the ebb and flow of waves in the sea. She could feel raw emotion well up inside her as bows slid across strings and expertly trained fingers pressed down on ivory white blocks. The beautiful harmony tugged at her heartstrings. Piano and violin melded together, their sound suggesting a deep longing.

The young pianist swayed as she performed, feeling the emotions of her melody in every fiber of her being. It was a display of pure passion, and the pianist's hands moved excitedly, eager to tell their tale. Nibutani could feel herself move her body to the edge of her seat. She felt herself being pulled into a dream of seeking knowledge and experience that she had not already attained. At that moment, she felt a connection to the blonde girl, unlike anything she had felt before. It was personal and intimate, and Nibutani could feel her heart race in her chest.

The girl calmed her dancing fingers and brought back a familiar twinkle. The violins faded back, allowing a wave of peacefulness to envelop the listener. Nibutani felt the emphasis of the beginnings of a journey, the unpredictability of taking a step into the unknown. It was scary but also exciting. She wondered if this was the feeling that the young pianist wished to inspire in her audience. A feeling that something new could be waiting for you if you just took that step towards it. If you were willing to be brave, anything was possible. You could change your whole life if that's what you desired.

The pianist allowed her fingers to fly across the keys for a second time. Her body moved passionately, conveying her eagerness and excitement. Nibutani felt her chest swell with enthusiasm, and leaned in as close as she could to close the distance between her and the stage. She felt like grabbing the girl's hand and embarking on whichever journey the blonde girl was trying to portray. The feeling subsided as the girl slowed down for a last time, bringing the piece to a close. The final note resonated across the concert hall.

Nibutani leaned back and closed her eyes. She could hear the thunderous sound of applause. She sat there, stunned. Nothing had prepared her for the abundance of emotion that swirled within her. She couldn't remember another time when she felt connected to another person at this kind of level. It was like a light was shed on the girl's innermost desires, and Nibutani felt like she had learned a lot about the girl just from that simple piece.

Nibutani opened her eyes when she heard the soft flutter of notes float from the piano as the young blonde resumed her storytelling. Nibutani had momentarily forgotten that she had only heard one piece so far, and she was about to be treated to a night full of adventure. She allowed herself to fall into a trance as the young pianist transitioned from story to story.

Nibutani, too lost in the beauty of the music, failed to notice the amused glances shared between her friends as they watched Nibutani's obvious displays of fascination. Hours flew by faster than the speed of light, and when the pianist pressed her fingers down on the keys for the last time that night, Nibutani could feel the stab of loneliness in her chest. The second the concert reached its end, Nibutani longed for the sound of passionate notes as they danced from strings and keys.

After her last piece came to a close, the small blonde pianist stood up, faced the audience, and bowed. The violinists followed suit. She was met with overwhelming support as the members of the audience thanked her with a standing ovation. Nibutani beamed at the girl on stage, clapping her hands vigorously. For a brief moment, their eyes met and Nibutani could feel butterflies in her stomach.

The young girl turned back to the piano, gathered her sheet music, and walked off the stage. Nibutani's eyes followed her until she disappeared from view. The lights in the concert hall turned back on, blinding the audience, whose eyes had grown accustom to the dark room. Nibutani stood still in her place as others began making their way towards the exit.

"Hey, Nibu, pay attention." Nibutani heard a voice beside her and felt a finger prod at her cheek. She looked over and saw her friends waiting to leave.

"The concert is over, Nibu. It's time to head home," Fukachi said. Nibutani nodded and followed them outside the concert hall. They walked side by side chatting excitedly about the event that they had just attended.

"Wasn't that just amazing?" Becky's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she fawned over the memories made at the concert. "Her music always makes me feel such incredible things." Becky sighed blissfully.

"Yeah, I understand," Fukachi replied. "Tonight's music made me feel like I was traversing through a beautiful meadow. It was so peaceful. Any stress that I felt just melted away at the sound of her playing. She truly is an amazing pianist." Becky nodded in agreement.

Nibutani looked at her friends, surprised. They both seemed to have felt things that were completely different than her own feelings. Did she interpret the music wrong? This was her first concert, so was it possible that she just failed to understand the true meaning behind it? Maybe she just needed more experience with classical concerts.

"I felt something completely different," Nibutani commented. "I felt the sea. I felt the waves flowing around me as I set out on a long journey. It was exciting. I wondered what possibilities laid beyond the horizon, out of my sight. The notes filled me with vigor. It left me with a desire to explore the unknown." Nibutani could feel familiar emotions surface within her while she recounted her experience, though she didn't feel it as intensely as she had while listening to the young pianist play.

"Wow, Nibu, you really got into it, didn't you?" Becky remarked. The two girls giggled at Nibutani's passionate speech. Nibutani could feel her cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

"Stop laughing! It's not funny!" Nibutani yelled.

"We know, we know," Fukachi replied. "It's just cute that you got so worked up over the concert when just a few hours ago, you were acting like it was the worst thing that could happen to you."

"Well, she _was_ amazing, I'll give you that," Nibutani said. "But you two felt different emotions, so does that mean I misinterpreted something? You've been to a lot more of these than I have, so I guess I just haven't had enough experience." Nibutani sighed and looked down at her feet. She wished she had the ability to understand what the blonde pianist was trying to convey.

Fukachi smiled softly. "Don't worry about it, Nibu. What you feel and how you interpret the music is completely subjective. No one is going to feel the exact same thing when they listen to a piece. Music inspires different things in all of us. Certain sounds make us remember fond memories or dig up old desires. If music was meant to make us feel a set emotion, it wouldn't be as amazing as it is." Nibutani stared at Fukachi in wonder. What she had said made a lot of sense, and it made Nibutani feel a lot better about her interpretation.

Fukachi chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, at least that's what Sanae told me."

Upon witnessing Nibutani's shocked expression, she added, "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I've actually met her. She usually disappears after a concert, but sometimes she sticks around and lets people talk to her. Most people just compliment her music or say thank you, but occasionally people will ask questions, and some people even give her flowers and little trinkets. I don't think they're supposed to, but they do it anyway."

"What did you end up saying to her?" Nibutani inquired. She felt a little envious that Fukachi was able to have that experience.

"I remember asking her what her music meant," Fukachi answered. "I wanted to know the story behind it and why she chose to compose it like she did. Her answer surprised me. She told me that there _was_ a specific feeling behind it when she wrote it, but she didn't believe that it was necessary for me to feel the same thing. She said that she was happy that her music could inspire people to feel many different emotions. I remember her explicitly saying that music would be boring if we could only feel a single feeling from each piece."

"That's incredible…" Nibutani sighed longingly. "I wish I could meet her too. She sounds like an amazing person."

Becky giggled, "Well you're in luck, Nibu. Since summer break is right around the corner, she'll be playing a lot more concerts. I heard that she'll be holding a special concert alongside the Japanese Philharmonic Orchestra in a couple of weeks. I'm almost positive that there's a big reception afterwards to honor the musicians, so there's a pretty high chance you could meet her there."

"It'll be a much bigger concert than tonight's was though, " Fukachi chimed in. "She'll be playing with one of the biggest orchestras in Japan, so they need to hold the concert at the big music hall on the other side of town. I believe they're still selling tickets, so you should grab one!" Nibutani nodded.

She definitely wanted to get her hands on a ticket. She would have to check the prices because she was running low on allowance money this month. She had already spent a lot of it on magazines and clothes, so Nibutani hoped she had enough for a ticket.

"What was she like?" Nibutani questioned.

"You mean her personality?" Fukachi asked. Nibutani nodded.

Fukachi continued, "Oh, well she was really polite! She was very quiet though. I'm assuming it was because she was tired from the concert. I wouldn't be surprised if she was a completely different person outside of the music hall!" Fukachi laughed.

"Yeah! Imagine if she was super loud and obnoxious. Oh man, that would be quite the sight." Becky added. The two laughed loudly.

"Come on guys," Nibutani sighed. "She can't be _that_ different. I mean, would someone like that really be able to produce such incredible music? I find it hard to believe." She crossed her arms. There was no way that this amazing, beautiful, and passionate musician was anything but that.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Becky agreed.

The three walked the rest of the way home silently. Nibutani's mind flashed back to her experience during the concert. She remembered feeling a sudden, intimate connection with the girl on stage, and she wondered if that feeling was shared by the rest of the audience. Nibutani didn't dare ask about it. If it was something that only she felt, then it was best to keep quiet until she figured out the meaning behind it. Nibutani hoped that attending the concert a few weeks down the road would clear it up for her.

Nibutani, Becky, and Fukachi eventually parted ways. When Nibutani arrived home, she saw that her mother was still awake, waiting for her to get back. Nibutani assumed she was curious about how her first classical concert went.

"Welcome home, Shinka," her mother greeted. "How was the concert?"

Nibutani smiled widely. "It was amazing. I had no idea that it would be like that. She's absolutely beautiful. She has the longest blonde hair I've ever seen, and her eyes are as blue as a cloudless sky. Her music, though, is the most stunning thing about her. I've never heard such beautiful piano playing."

Nibutani's mother laughed softly. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, dear. It sounds like you've become quite the fan. I had a feeling you would have fun. I felt the same way after I saw her perform. Everyone's been raving about that girl. I've even seen articles about her in magazines, and apparently she's been on several television programs to discuss composing."

Nibutani was surprised. That girl, Sanae Dekomori, really did live up to the hype. It was no wonder that people fawned over her work. It was brilliant.

"I just wish I had gone to see her sooner," Nibutani said. She had been so unwilling to entertain the idea of just attending one concert. It was frustrating to remember her initial attitude towards this specific genre of music. She had been enlightened in just a few hours, and it felt strange to recollect how different she had felt that same morning.

"You always were a stubborn girl." her mother smiled. She was right. Once Nibutani decided on something, it was very hard to get her to change her mind, no matter how trivial the matter was.

"I would love to meet her," Nibutani remarked. "There's actually a huge concert with a reception afterwards in a couple of weeks. I think it falls on the weekend after finals, which is perfect. I wanted to see if I could get a ticket." Nibutani reminded herself to go check the prices when she went up to her room.

"Good luck with that. I hope you saved up your allowance money." Her mother smiled knowingly.

Nibutani grimaced. She wished she had been a bit more stingy regarding money. Nibutani wished her mother goodnight and walked up to her room. She needed to find out exactly how much money she'd need. As soon as she closed the door to her room, she rushed over to her computer. She typed "Sanae Dekomori concert" into the search engine.

The first thing that came up was a very professionally made website. It featured Dekomori on the front page, showing her as she played the piano. Nibutani looked at the tabs on the top of the page. She clicked on the one labeled "concerts" and scrolled down until she found the ticket pricing. She almost croaked. The concert hall was separated into three different sections: orchestra, mezzanine, and balcony. The balcony, which was the cheapest seating available, cost 10,000 yen per ticket. The mezzanine cost 13,000 yen per seat, and the orchestra seating prices stood at 15,000 yen.

Nibutani slammed her head against her desk. She doubted she had that kind of money available, especially considering that she spent a great deal of money at the beginning of the month. She got up and went to check her wallet. All she had left was a 5,000 yen bill. Nibutani groaned. She would have to see if she could find a couple small odd jobs to get the amount she needed. Nibutani really wanted to be able to sit as close to the stage as possible, but she doubted she could make 10,000 yen in two weeks. She would have to deal with a balcony seat.

Nibutani sighed. She decided to sleep on it. She could start looking for jobs tomorrow. Nibutani crawled into bed and shut off the lights. She let her mind wander back to thoughts about the pianist and her music. The blonde girl was enthralling. Nibutani shook in anticipation at the thought of meeting her. Nibutani buried her face in her pillow and allowed herself to slowly slip into a deep sleep.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the second author's note, but I wanted to let you guys know that if you would like to have a specific piano piece used in this fic, feel free to send me a message and I'll give it a listen.


	2. Chapter 2

Nibutani groaned as she slid out of bed. Today she needed to look for a job, but unfortunately, she would have to attend class, so she would have to wait until after school was over to begin her search. That gave her a much shorter window of time to find something suitable. It would a difficult task, finding something that would pay her the necessary amount in two weeks, but Nibutani wasn't about to give up.

She got changed and walk downstairs to the kitchen. Her mother and father were sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast.

"Good morning, Shinka. Did you sleep well?" Her mother asked. Nibutani nodded and sat down at the table with them, choosing the empty seat next to her mother.

Her father spoke up, not lifting his gaze from the newspaper that he was reading, "So I heard that you enjoyed that piano concert last night. I'm glad you got that experience. It's good that young people are being exposed to things like classical music. There's far too much garbage music being produced."

Nibutani rolled her eyes. Her father was very much against almost every trend that rose up. He had been pleasantly surprised upon hearing that this young pianist was rising in popularity, especially with young people. Nibutani assumed that it was due the blonde girl's age. It was always easier for young people to relate to those of the same age, so most probably felt comfortable knowing that it was a fellow young person who was at the helm of this newest fad.

"Well, people certainly aren't overreacting when they talk about how good she is. Her music is brilliant," Nibutani said.

Nibutani's mother giggled, "Shinka was absolutely fawning over her last night. I haven't seen her this excited about something in a long time. She even wants to get a ticket for another concert in a couple of weeks." Nibutani flushed. It was a lot more embarrassing hearing it said out loud.

"I wasn't that excited about it…" Nibutani mumbled. She focused on the plate of food on the table in front of her, attempting to hide her embarrassment.

Nibutani's mother laughed, "You could have fooled me, dear." Nibutani glared at her mother, who smiled cheekily.

"It doesn't matter anyway." Nibutani sighed. "I don't have enough money saved up for a ticket. I'll need to see if I can find some way to make enough money. I already have half of what I need for the cheapest seat, so it shouldn't take too long to raise the money. It's actually finding a job that's the difficult part."

The man sitting across the table put down his newspaper and asked, "You really do like this piano thing, don't you?" Nibutani nodded slowly.

He stood up and brought his plates to the kitchen. He looked at Nibutani and said, "Okay. Good luck." He grabbed his suitcase and left for work.

"That was strange," Nibutani thought. She didn't have time to ponder it further. She glanced up at the clock on the wall and noticed that if she didn't leave within the next five minutes, she'd be late for class. Nibutani wolfed down the rest of her breakfast and gathered her schoolwork. She waved goodbye to her mother and ran out the door.

The school day went by rather slowly. Nibutani had trouble concentrating on anything other than the hunt for a job. She thought about checking with her neighbors first since it was more likely that they would have small jobs available. If that didn't work, she could check the shopping district and see if anyone was hiring part time. Nibutani wasn't looking for a steady job at the moment, school kept her busy enough, but she could handle a bit of part time work. Maybe she'd learn how to save money so this issue wouldn't come up again.

As soon as the final bell rang, signifying the end of the day, Nibutani bolted out of the classroom. She wanted to get her hunt started before night fell. She rushed in the direction of home, with the intention to go around to every house in the area. When she reached her destination, she decided to start with the houses of people she was more familiar with. That way, there would be little awkwardness while she got used to scouting for jobs like this.

The first place she tried was the house next door to hers. An old woman, who was friends with Nibutani's mother, lived there. She lived alone, so Nibutani's family tried to have tea with her every once in a while. Unfortunately, the old woman had nothing that she needed done, which surprised Nibutani. She thought older people would be the ones most likely to need help, especially if they lived alone, but her neighbor seemed to have everything under control. Nibutani was impressed.

Nibutani visited the family across the street, then the house of her old childhood friend, which was sufficiently embarrassing, and then the house of one of her father's business friends. None of them were able to help her. Nibutani sighed. She had visited everyone she was already familiar with. All that was left were houses of people she barely knew. Nibutani steeled herself for what was to come, and she walked up to the nearest house and rang the doorbell. A large, muscular man answered.

"Yeah?" he asked, his voice deep and gruff. He leaned against the doorframe and peered down at Nibutani.

"Um...uh…" Nibutani lost her train of thought. The man was intimidating in appearance, and Nibutani could feel her knees shake. He raised an eyebrow at her lack of response. Nibutani, suddenly feeling very shy, turned around and ran from the scene.

She decided that maybe it wasn't the best idea to just go door to door. She walked towards the shopping district, putting all her hopes on finding an available part time job. She browsed various shops, keeping an eye out for "help wanted" signs. Luck must have not been on her side, as Nibutani failed to locate anything that looked like it was hiring. Feeling defeated, Nibutani made her way home.

When she finally arrived back home, Nibutani stomped up the stairs to her room. She didn't feel like recounting the failed attempts she made to find a job, and Nibutani knew her parents would have asked her about it if she had stayed to speak with them.

Upon reaching her room, Nibutani dropped her bag on the floor and collapsed on her bed. She stared at the ceiling, wondering what her next move should be. She could try going to door to door again, though she wasn't sure how well people would take to a complete stranger showing up and asking for work. Plus, she was a bit apprehensive about who might end up answering the door. She didn't want to run into any trouble.

Nibutani sighed. That seemed like her only option at this point. She highly doubted that a store would have an opening free by tomorrow or even the next day. Nibutani ran her hands through her hair in frustration and rolled on her stomach. She heard something crumple beneath her. Nibutani got up and noticed that she had laid down on a small white envelope. Nibutani grabbed the envelope, unsealed it, and removed its contents.

There were two objects encased in the envelope. Upon inspecting the first object, Nibutani saw that it was a ticket for the concert she so desperately wanted to attend. The other object was a small note that said "Just thought I'd surprise you. Love, Dad." Nibutani beamed.

She ran to her door, opened it, and yelled, "Thank you!"

Nibutani heard her father yell "you're welcome" in response. Nibutani walked back to her bed and jumped onto it. She grabbed one of her pillows, hugged it tightly, and grinned happily. She was lucky that her parents were this generous. They paid for the ticket themselves, which meant that she could go to the concert _and _she still had money left over.

The only thing that stood in the way of her and the concert was finals week. If she did poorly, she would have to take make up exams on the day of the concert. They wouldn't coincide with the performance time, but Nibutani was sure that her parents would bar her from attending if her test scores were bad. Nibutani, suddenly feeling determined, decided to put in extra studying time every day after school. She got up and grabbed her bag. She pulled her homework out and began a long night of review.

* * *

By the end of finals week, Nibutani felt absolutely drained. She had kept true to her plan to put in extra time for studying, and she had sacrificed many hours of sleep to fulfill that task. It took all of her willpower not to fall asleep during the actual exams. Luckily for her, her desire to attend the event that weekend overpowered the utter exhaustion she felt.

Today was the day that test results would be posted, and Nibutani could feel the anxiety settle in the pit of her stomach. She sat at her desk, fidgeting in her seat, and waited for a teacher to announce that the results were up. Becky and Fukachi, who had been watching Nibutani from a distance, walked over to her.

"Hey," Fukachi greeted. "You doing okay there? You look terrible." Becky elbowed Fukachi in the ribs.

"What she means to say is that you seem really tired. We were worried because we haven't seen you very much these past two weeks," Becky said. Nibutani sighed. She knew this was bound to come up. Her determination to get good scores caused her to forget to tell her friends about her study plans. It was no wonder that they were worried.

"I'm fine," Nibutani replied. "I just haven't been getting as much sleep lately because I've been up late studying. I wanted to make sure I got good scores on these exams."

"Why so eager to score high?" Fukachi asked. Fukachi was never one to care about grades, so Nibutani was sure that her study plan confused her friend immensely.

"Well, I needed to get decent scores on my tests so I could go to the concert this weekend. If I failed, I would have to take make up exams on the day of the performance," Nibutani explained.

Becky sighed, "You have yet to fail a single test in high school, so you really shouldn't have worried as much as you probably did. You shouldn't neglect your health. Make sure you get lots of sleep before the concert. I don't want you passing out in the middle of it."

Nibutani felt slightly guilty. Becky was right. She shouldn't have put the concert before her health. That probably wouldn't have happened if Nibutani didn't feel a strong connection to the blonde pianist. It felt like something was drawing her to Sanae Dekomori, but she couldn't tell what it was. It seemed important, which was scary because Nibutani felt so small compared to the other girl. The younger girl was a professional pianist, loved by everyone, while Nibutani was just normal everyday high schooler. That fact made this connection seem silly and insignificant.

Nibutani heard the classroom door slide open, and looked up to see her classmates rushing out. The test results must have been posted. Nibutani, feeling slightly nervous, decided to follow the crowd of students to the bulletin board out in the hall, where the teachers posted results after midterms and finals. Nibutani pushed her way past the sea of students until she reached a spot where she could read through the list of names.

Nibutani froze as soon as she located her own. She couldn't believe this was happening. In her whole high school experience, she had never seen results quite like this. Nibutani stood in her place, stunned. She could feel the presence of her friends as they came up beside her.

"Whoa! Nibu, you got the highest score in our grade!" Fukachi exclaimed.

"All that studying definitely paid off. Congrats!" Becky smiled. Nibutani nodded and smiled weakly, still shocked that she managed to score that high.

"Oh man, my scores weren't too great," Fukachi grimaced. "Why can't I ever do well on tests like you two? It isn't fair…" Fukachi crossed her arms and pouted.

"Well, maybe if you studied instead of wasting time playing games and watching anime, you'd do better. Next time you can study with me. I'll make sure you get your work done." Becky answered. She giggled as Fukachi let out a loud, exaggerated sigh.

Nibutani, finally recovering from her initial shock, started to feel the excitement build. She had managed to achieve her goal and now there was nothing standing in the way of her and the concert. Becky was right though. Nibutani knew that she needed to rest or she'd never be able keep her eyes open during the performance. With that thought in mind, Nibutani decided to head home for the day.

* * *

Nibutani looked up. She stood in front of one of the most unique buildings she had seen in her life. Tonight's concert was being held at the International Forum. It was a magnificent building, it's shape resembling that of a boat. A large portion of its surface was made of glass, so the light from the inside illuminated the night sky. Apparently this building had eight halls, with one hall being able to hold 5000 people. In addition to that, there were also various shops and restaurants. The International Forum definitely seemed suitable for someone like Sanae Dekomori.

Nibutani was standing alone in line. She was the only one who was able to attend. Becky and Fukachi both had other matters to take of, so they were unable to join her. Nibutani didn't mind the solitude much. It made it easier for her to focus on her goal. She had her mind set on the reception afterwards. All of the musicians would become available to speak to at that time, and Nibutani hoped to use that as an excuse to speak to the tiny girl.

As the line moved forward, Nibutani started to feel nervous. This was actually happening. Tonight she would get to meet the girl whom she felt inexplicably connected to. Nibutani just hoped that she wouldn't screw it up and make a huge fool of herself. She'd never be able to live it down.

When she entered the building, she was stopped by one of the many ushers that were spread across the entrance hall. Nibutani was directed to a staircase at the far right end of the room and proceeded to head up the stairs to the third floor, where those with balcony tickets could access their seats. Nibutani's ticket placed her in the first row of the balcony level. A large railing stood between her and a steep drop.

Nibutani leaned against the railing and looked around. The mezzanine level was directly below her, and the orchestra level was on the ground floor and extended all the way to the stage. It seemed so far from where she was sitting. She definitely wouldn't be getting a close up view of the pianist like she had during the previous concert. The thought initially disappointed Nibutani, but she brushed it aside when she remembered that she was lucky to attend in the first place.

Nibutani glanced at the stage. It was much larger in comparison to the one at the Performing Arts Theatre. Instead of just a piano and four spots for violinists, there were a wide array of seats arranged to fit an entire orchestra. The piano was pushed to the left of the stage, so it didn't garner all of the attention. Since the blonde pianist was accompanying a popular orchestra, it made sense for her not to be the central focus.

Nibutani noticed that there was a stand sitting by itself in the middle of the stage. She presumed that it was for the conductor. It seemed strange that it was there since the last concert went on without a conductor, but considering that there would be a huge orchestra playing, Nibutani figured it made more sense to have one.

More and more people poured into the concert hall, eventually filling almost every seat in the house. It was impressive that the orchestra was able to draw this kind of crowd. Nibutani wondered how much influence Sanae Dekomori had on that. After several minutes, the lights in the concert hall dimmed. Nibutani moved to the edge of her seat in anticipation. She could feel her heart thump in her chest.

Musicians filed out from the right side of the stage and took their seats. A majority of the players held string instruments, but Nibutani noticed the presence of several wind, brass, and percussion players. So far, Nibutani had only been to a concert with piano and violin, so this would be a very new experience for her. Her body quivered in excitement. Eventually a man walked on, the audience clapping as he approached center stage.

"Good evening everyone, and welcome to the International Forum. Tonight the Japanese Philharmonic Orchestra will be playing for you with a very special guest. Tonight we'd like to welcome Sanae Dekomori into our hall. She will be accompanying the orchestra on piano. Let's all give her a warm welcome." The man extended his arm towards the left side of the stage.

The young blonde walked from left stage and stood next to the man giving the introduction. She bowed and said, "Thank you for having me here tonight. I hope you all enjoy the concert." Her words were met with a deafening round of applause. She moved to her place at the piano.

"Wow, this the first time I've heard her speak. She seems as polite as Fukachi said she was. That's a relief. That makes the prospect of meeting her a little less terrifying." Nibutani thought. The girl didn't seem intimidating in the slightest.

The man on stage continued, "Tonight we'd like to start the concert with a special piece to honor our guest pianist. Afterwards the concert will proceed as normal. Please enjoy the performance." The man bowed and left the stage.

The string section picked up their instruments, prepared to accompany the young pianist. The first chair violinist made eye contact with the blonde girl, and taking a deep breath in sync, they began their piece.

The violins opened the piece, their low sound filling the music hall. They held long notes, creating a sense that something was beginning to build. Thier notes paved the way for the entrance of a completely different sound. The young pianist joined in, her fingers pressing down on the keys slowly. It was calming, like the early morning when the sun rises. Nibutani closed her eyes, allowing her senses to be completely overcome. She felt familiar emotions bud in her chest as the blonde girl quickened her pace.

Nibutani felt herself inch forward. She grasped the edge of the railing with both hands and tightened her grip around it. She leaned forward, attempting to drink in as much of the melody as she could. With every key the the blonde girl pressed, Nibutani could feel the sound reverberate within her. She couldn't figure out why this girl's music affected her like it did. It was obvious that other's didn't quite feel was she did. Nibutani was aware of the strange looks she received from the people sitting around her.

As the pianist's fingers raced across the keys, Nibutani could feel this strange, desperate desire to be in the presence of the other girl strengthen. It was an incredibly odd feeling, something Nibutani thought only happened in cliche romance movies, but it was there, enveloping her entire being. Her feelings lacked the intensity of the emotions she felt during the first concert, but Nibutani assumed it was due to the increased distance between them. She couldn't clearly see the other girl from her position.

As the piece came to a close, Nibutani was calmed from her emotional frenzy. Nibutani leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. Suddenly, she felt a light tapping on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked at a young man sitting beside her.

"Excuse me, miss," the man said. "Are you alright? You looked very intense for a moment there." Nibutani's cheeks flushed in embarrassment. She didn't think anyone would actually say anything to her.

"I-I'm fine," Nibutani replied, "I just got a little overly excited. I'm a big orchestra enthusiast!" The man nodded, seemingly convinced. Nibutani sighed in relief. It was better to not try to explain what was really going through her mind, as she couldn't seem to understand it herself.

The wind, brass, a percussion sections of the orchestra joined in for the remainder of the performance, taking the focus off of the pianist. The beginning piece marked the last time Nibutani felt the strange emotional pull that night. Since the blonde girl was only an accompaniment, the rest of the pieces weren't piano heavy, and there were even times that the pianist didn't play at all. For those pieces, she would walk off stage, only returning when she was to play again.

Nibutani remembered why she was initially averse to classical music. Without the sound of the piano, the pieces grew increasingly boring. It was as if Nibutani could only appreciate the music if it was being performed by the other girl. It was a bizarre revelation that only caused more confusion within Nibutani.

As soon as the concert ended, Nibutani followed the flow of people exiting the music hall. They were all making their way to the reception. It was being held in a special hall on the other side of the building, so the walk there was not a short one. Upon reaching her destination, Nibutani noticed many of the musicians already scattered about the hall. Some were chatting away with guests while others were taking food that was being offered at large tables at the back of the hall.

Nibutani looked around for the blonde pianist, but was unable to locate her. She checked every inch of the room multiple times, but there was no sign of the younger girl. She was about to give up when, in the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of blonde exit through one of the doors in the hall. Nibutani, without thinking, went to investigate. She went through the same door and saw that it led to a short hallway, with several other rooms attached to it. She looked around and saw instrument cases of varying shapes and sizes laying about the area. Nibutani figured that this was acting as the musician's mock dressing area.

The hallway and the rooms were mostly dark, probably due to them being unused at the moment, save for one room at the end of the hallway. The door was cracked open, allowing the light from the room spill into the hallway. Nibutani inched closer, a voice in the back of her mind screaming at her to turn back. She was most likely not allowed to be here, but she couldn't stop her body from moving forward.

When she reached the door, she placed her hand on it and pushed lightly. The door opened silently and the first thing Nibutani saw was the young pianist. It seemed like she hadn't been spotted yet, as the blonde girl continued to attend to her own business.

"Why do I have to go to these things? I don't need to speak to these people." the girl muttered to herself. "They're deathly boring. I have better things to do." The blonde girl was standing in front of a mirror, brushing her hair. She parted it to two sides, and it looked like she was about to tie it up into pigtails when she happened to glance at Nibutani's reflection in the mirror.

The younger girl whipped around and asked, "Who are you?! How have you managed to infiltrate my hideout? Wait, it can't be! You must be a light being who has come here to defeat me once and for all!" The blonde struck a pose that vaguely reminded Nibutani of something she'd seen in an anime.

"Uhh…" Nibutani was speechless. Whatever she was expecting when she walked in, this certainly wasn't it. She stared at the pianist, unable to form coherent words.

"Answer my questions immediately, or I will be forced to destroy you!" the blonde girl exclaimed.

Nibutani asked the first thing that popped into her mind, "Who are you?"

The blonde girl huffed in annoyance, "I am Sanae Dekomori, but I believe I asked you first. How rude are you?" Nibutani felt her eye twitch. There had to be some sort of mistake. There was no way that this girl and the one on stage were the same. She must have fallen and hit her head, and this was all just one big stress dream.

Dekomori sighed, "I guess you've lost your ability to speak. That's a shame. I must admit, I was curious to know about the one who managed to successfully break into my hideout. If you have nothing to say, then leave before I call for reinforcements." The younger girl turned back around to face the mirror.

"Wait," Nibutani said, "My name is Shinka Nibutani. I came to this concert tonight because I heard you play at the Performing Arts Theatre. After that concert, I became completely mesmerized by your music. I was hoping to meet you, under normal circumstances I might add, but when I looked around the reception, I couldn't find you. I thought I saw you come through that door back there, so I decided to investigate."

"Interesting. I must commend your bravery for entering forbidden territory, but that is all the praise you will receive from me," the girl mumbled. "Your reason for seeking me out is as boring as the rest of that crowd out there. You like my playing? Well, so does everyone else. I don't need anymore empty praises from people I don't know." Nibutani felt her temper begin to take over.

"You're a lot different than how you appear on stage," Nibutani remarked, gritting her teeth. "You're a lot more obnoxious and annoying than I thought you'd be. What a disappointment."

The younger girl appeared unfazed by the insult. "Leave my presence then. I no longer wish to entertain your company." The girl waved her hand in dismissal.

Nibutani did just that. She turned on her heel and left the room. She didn't stop walking until she exited the building entirely. Nibutani's shoulder slumped. She felt like she was just slapped in the face with reality. That strange connection she felt to the other girl was probably just a figment of her imagination, and the disappointment she felt was overwhelming. The shining image she had of the young pianist was shattered in that small exchange between them. Not wanting to be there for another second, Nibutani headed home for the night.

* * *

A/N: I chose not to include the name of the piano piece this time because when I wrote it, it kinda derailed from what I initially intended to do.


End file.
